


the sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow

by pirateygoodness



Series: soon the bells will start (sssfe17) [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Holding Hands, Holidays, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-15 04:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13022826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pirateygoodness/pseuds/pirateygoodness
Summary: Lena smiles. "There's this Christmas market downtown for the next few weekends, and I was wondering if, sometime, you wanted to go with me." She pauses for a moment, biting at her lower lip. Kara hesitates.It's not that she doesn'twantto reply, it's that her brain is giving her images of Lena wearing a scarf, red-cheeked, lit by Christmas lights, and she suddenly can't breathe.





	the sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GayLittleLuthor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayLittleLuthor/gifts).



The best part about Lena working at Catco - one of the best parts - is that planning lunch dates gets so much easier. The hardest thing now is just _finding_ Lena, but for all the fuss she made about being Ms. Open-Concept-I-Don't-Need-An-Office-Leadership, she's usually camped out in either the newsroom or in James' office just before lunch. 

Sometimes Kara and Lena are both so busy that they barely have time to look at each other, let alone stop for lunch. Other times there's a food truck parked outside the building where Kara's meeting with a source, and she texts ahead to get Lena's order for the latest of National City's hipster foodie taco trucks. 

(She's still in this weird limbo with Lena, someplace between _like_ liking her and dating. This place where she knows what Lena's lips taste like, where Lena sometimes responds to her taco truck requests with the kissing-face emoji and a little joke, but the idea of being alone with Lena in her apartment still makes the bottom of Kara's stomach drop in a not-so-great way.)

They're sitting on the Catco balcony on one of the last warm days of the year, patio season extended by an unseasonably warm November. Kara's watching jalapeño crema drip down the side of Lena's hand and trying not to think about licking it off. Lena's gesturing animatedly with her free hand, telling a very involved story about something Eve did this morning and Kara can't take her eyes off of her. Lena finishes her story, goes to take a bite of her half-eaten taco and notices the sauce dripping perilously close to her wrist. She blushes. 

"Look at me, getting my lunch everywhere," Lena says, self-deprecating as she reaches for a handful of napkins, dabs at her wrist with one hand while she finishes her taco in a few quick bites. 

"I didn't want to interrupt your story," Kara replies. It's embarrassing, a little too honest and a little too earnest but Lena gives her a soft smile like that's just right. 

"Kara, I was going to ask you," Lena starts, reaching for her last taco before she thinks better of it, sets her hands on the table. 

"Of course, anything."

Lena smiles. "There's this Christmas market downtown for the next few weekends, and I was wondering if, sometime, you wanted to go with me." She pauses for a moment, biting at her lower lip. Kara hesitates. 

It's not that she doesn't _want_ to reply, it's that her brain is giving her images of Lena wearing a scarf, red-cheeked, lit by Christmas lights, and she suddenly can't breathe. In the space it takes her to gather her thoughts Lena's had enough time to get nervous and she presses on: "I know our friendship is somewhat - ambiguous - right now, and if it's too much like a date I understand, I don't want to overstep any -"

Kara puts her hands on top of Lena's. Lena stops talking. "Lena," Kara says. "I'd love to." 

"Oh," Lena says. She looks shocked for a moment, before a slow grin spreads across her face. "That's great, then." 

Kara's whole chest feels like it's vibrating from the inside out, her heart fluttering too fast to contain it. "Yeah," she says. "It's a date." 

Lena's eyes go wide at the word _date_. Kara's never seen someone eat locally-sourced ethical fish tacos _smugly_ before but if it's possible, Lena manages it. 

+

They make a date for that upcoming weekend. They reschedule that first date to the following weekend because there's a crisis at L Corp and Lena has to pull an all-nighter with Sam getting things ready for a board meeting. They reschedule a second time because a giant psychic shark-man-thing tries to destroy half the waterfront, and Supergirl fights him off but ends up covered in dubiously-clean salt water and reeking like fish. 

By the time their date actually happens, it's the last weekend of the market and just a few days before Christmas, and Kara's had ample time to get good and nervous about it. 

Obviously they've seen each other since Lena asked; at work and out for dinner and one particularly memorably evening at Lena's apartment that _still_ makes Kara blush to think about. But this feels like a special kind of date, with the lights and the outdoors, and the way Lena gets sort of shy and nervous whenever they have to reschedule. Kara looked at the market online and it seems adorable and romantic, and she just wants so _badly_ to do dumb romantic things with someone special again. 

(Not with _someone special_ , that's too general. With _Lena._ )

They meet at the market, which has taken over one of the paved squares downtown that's usually full of food carts and office workers eating their lunch. It been transformed into rows of little wooden stalls, decorated with roofs and lights like tiny cottages. The weather isn't quite cooperating, unfortunately. It's still a typical National City December - barely below freezing, snow falling and melting on contact with the ground so everything looks mostly rained-on - but the square has fairy lights strung up above it, all the way across, and now that it's dark outside, the whole effect is magical. 

Kara's early, for once, fiddling with her phone and trying not to look too jittery while she waits for Lena. 

Lena arrives in a hurry, her shoes slip-sliding on the slushy sidewalk as she steps out of her cab. The sight of her, even from a distance, makes Kara so flustered that she has to put her phone in her pocket to keep from accidentally crushing it. Lena's wearing her black winter coat, decidedly un-sensible stockings and shoes visible below the hem. Her neck is swathed in a big red scarf, wrapped around her neck at least twice, and as the wind from the outside hits her she nuzzles into it so that it rides up around her ears. Kara wants to unwrap every piece of that outfit, one by one. 

Lena catches sight of her and waves. Kara waves back. She's suddenly very self-conscious of her mittens, the fuzzy blue ones Eliza got her last year because they matched her super suit. Next to Lena, looking like she does, they make Kara feel silly. 

Lena takes a breath as she gets closer to Kara and when she speaks, her voice is a little higher and a little off-pitch, like she's nervous in her own way. "Kara," she says, and Kara immediately feels lighter, hearing her name on Lena's lips. "You look nice," she says, just as Kara says the same thing to her. 

They both struggle, each wanting to answer but not interrupt, and after several false starts Kara concedes, lets Lena say, "I like your scarf." 

"Oh, thanks," Kara says, plucking at it. It's nothing special; truthfully it was the only scarf she could _find_ today after a half hour of picking an outfit. "My, um, Alex got it for me." 

It sounds so _silly_ to Kara's ears, and she feels a sudden flush of embarrassment take hold of her - like she can't buy her own outerwear without her mom and sister helping her. Lena just smiles, says, "I wish I had a sister with good taste." 

It makes Kara feel warm all the way down to her toes, and suddenly she forgets to feel self-conscious altogether. 

They walk into the market area side by side, Lena leading just slightly. She's looking at everything, lips parted and a half-smile on her face as she takes in the lights, the little market stalls, the couples and families wandering through the aisles. Kara has a sudden, very intense desire to kiss her. 

Instead, she says, "Is it everything you hoped for?"

Lena starts a little, turns to look at her with a frown before she processes the question. "The market? Oh, it's - yes. It's lovely." 

"Good," Kara says, and suddenly things feel easier. "Because there is this lady selling salsa over there and I've been staring at her sample tray for like fifteen minutes, we have to go try some." 

Lena laughs, bright and clear and Kara thinks about how she could listen to her laugh like that forever. "Lead on," she says. 

Kara picks her way through the crowd as patiently as she can, arriving at the stall marked _Margie's Salsa_ and the smiling older woman who Kara can only assume is Margie. She has five kinds of salsa, including one with little pieces of mango in it and one with those smoked peppers Kara _loves_. She greets them both, smiles and calls them _girls_ and lets Kara try a sample of every one (and then laughs when Lena offers to let Kara have her share of samples and Kara takes her up on it.) 

She doesn't look back at Lena again until she's bought a jar of Margie's best salsa (her original recipe). When she does, Lena's looking at her with this odd expression on her face. "What?" Kara asks as they keep walking. She tries to resist the urge to fidget and only half-succeeds, settles for worrying at the ribbon around her new mason jar of salsa. 

"You're cute," Lena says, bumping at Kara's shoulder with her own. 

Kara can't help giggling, can't keep her delight from showing on her face. "You're pretty cute too," she says in return. 

"Thank you for coming with me tonight," Lena says. Her gaze slips toward the ground for a moment, her expression turning sort of sad around the edges. 

"Of course," Kara says.

"This whole market just reminds me of - the last Christmas, before Lex really went mad. We went to Switzerland. Lex dragged me to this market down the hill from our hotel and we drank the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted, and it -" Lena trails off, before beginning again. "I think that's the last happy Christmas I can remember. How sad is that?" 

As with every other new piece of information Kara learns about Lena's family, it breaks her heart all over again. "I don't think it's sad at all," she says. 

She thinks about saying more than that - something about how Lena will make new happy memories someday, about all of the ways that her life doesn't have to be ruled by her family. But when Kara pauses to find of the words, Lena lights up and says, "Thank you, Kara." 

So, maybe that's enough. 

They walk past stalls selling homemade pepperoni and cookies and jams and Kara does her best to have restraint when it comes to tasting samples. They hit the end of the aisle and double back and Lena takes her hands out of her pockets, rubs them together a few times before shoving them back into her coat. "You don't have mittens!" Kara says. She doesn't mean to sound horrified but that's how it comes out; as scandalized as Eliza was the first time she went out in the winter without a hat or a coat. 

"I didn't think I'd need them," Lena replies. 

"Do you want mine? I don't really need them, I'm warm enough."

"Oh, no, I could never," Lena says, taking her hands out of her pockets to insist and balking at the temperature. "Alright, maybe. But I don't want you to get cold, that's not fair." 

"Here," Kara says. She holds out her hand. Lena places both of hers on top, and Kara sandwiches them with her other hand, doing her best to wrap the edges of her mittens around Lena's fingers. She's just thinking about being helpful, is all, so it takes her a little while to notice that Lena's fingers are curling around her palm and squeezing gently. 

It makes the bottom drop out of her stomach, a sudden rush of butterflies because she's holding Lena's hand and Lena's holding her hand right back. Lena tilts her head and Kara's struck, suddenly, by the way her hair catches the shimmer from the lights above them and the way her cheeks have gone pink from the cold. She's just so _pretty._

Lena's smile turns conspiratorial; she's giving Kara credit for engineering this, as if Kara could ever be savvy enough to flirt like that. One of her hands slips out from between Kara's but the other one stays, grips her hand tight around her mitten. 

They walk like that for a while, and Kara doesn't remember a single thing about what they see because her whole arm feels like it's buzzing; Lena Luthor is holding her hand and she can't think about anything else. Lena stops them as they turn the corner to the next aisle of the market, points ahead and says, "You know what I haven't had in ages? Hot cocoa." 

Kara laughs, puts her free hand to her chest in mock-horror. "Lena Luthor, suggesting we have something without kale in it? That can't be right." 

"Well, this is National City. You don't _know_ it doesn't have greens." She turns to Kara and _winks_. Kara is suddenly very aware of just how pretty Lena is, and even more aware of the way that Lena's attractiveness is making desire settle in her belly. Lena squeezes her fingers, tugging gently, and Kara allows herself to be led to the stall with the little cartoon mug on its sign. 

The hot cocoa stand does _not_ sell cocoa with kale. To Kara's delight, all they seem to have is the kind made from ultra-processed, ultra-sweetened processed cocoa mix and water. Lena insists on paying for Kara's drink as well as her own, and they drink it huddled around a very sad, very ineffective heater next to the food stands. 

Lena spends several minutes arranging her scarf before she takes her first sip; pulling it against herself to leave just enough space for her cup without exposing an inch of her chin or throat to the cold. "What?" she asks, catching her stare. 

Kara shrugs, says, "You're cute. That's all." 

Lena reaches out with her free hand, and plucks at Kara's sleeve. "Is this a real date?" she asks, looking at Kara wide-eyed, setting her heart fluttering all over again. "Like, a date-date?"

"Yeah," Kara says before she can even think about it, her mouth more than a few steps ahead of her brain. But as she says it, Lena lights up and Kara feels an answering warmth in her chest, one that makes her feel confident enough to continue, "I think it is." 

"Good," Lena says. "Because I'd really like to kiss you right now. If that's alright." 

Kara nods, whispers, "Yes, please." 

Lena steps into her personal space. They're both still holding their cups, making it hard for her to get close, but she's still able to cross the distance between them and find Kara's mouth. Her lips are cool from the weather and when they kiss, Kara tastes cheap hot cocoa, sweet and familiar and _oh_ she just wants to lick it out of Lena's mouth. Lena pulls away and it doesn't feel like enough, Kara's just barely gotten to taste her and before she can think she whimpers in disappointment, her lower lip catching between her teeth. 

Lena's grinning at her. They've kissed enough times by now that Kara knows the desire behind that look, and it just makes Kara want to kiss her more.

"Come on," she says, tugging at Kara's hand. "There's more that I want to see." 

They wander through the rest of the market, holding hands in earnest now. The stalls at the far end of the market are mostly gifts; little ornaments made of twigs and hand knitted hats. Kara could look at them all night - at least when Lena's holding her hand, giving her these little sideways looks like she can't bear to look away from Kara for too long. 

They circle back to the beginning of the market and linger near the gates together. Lena's obviously cold, and now that her cocoa's finished and she's standing still, she shivers. "I think I need to warm up indoors for a while," she says. 

Kara nods in agreement. She can't feel the cold herself, but she wants Lena to be comfortable. They're fairly close to the business district, not far from Lena's apartment, and she says the first thing that comes to mind: "I could walk you home?"

Lena gives her that smile again, the ideas one. "That would be lovely." 

They walk quickly; Lena taking the lead and setting a good pace to generate body heat. Kara follows her lead, but as they get closer, her butterflies start to come back. Tonight doesn't just feel like going back to Lena's apartment, it feels like _walking a girl home_ after a _date_ , and the idea of saying goodnight to Lena just makes Kara think about how badly she wants to kiss her again. 

They make it to the entry way of Lena's building and Lena scans them into the lobby so that they can both warm up inside. She's got this expectant look on her face, watching Kara, and it's filling Kara with jitters. "Good night," Lena says, standing by the elevators, but it's more of a question. 

She quirks her eyebrow at Kara, and it sends another little thrill of desire through her. Kara's never seen Lena less than fully dressed before but when Lena looks at her like that, she thinks about it. "Good night," Kara whispers. She's still inside Lena's space, Lena's hand in hers, and it doesn't take much effort at all to tug her nearer. 

They both lean in at the same time, meeting in the middle and this time they don't need to keep their kiss brief. This time, it's Lena's mouth against hers, parting Kara's lips with her tongue and Kara can hardly manage anything but sighing against her, trying not to be too overwhelmed with how good it feels to be kissed like this. They stay entangled for one kiss, then another, and by the time Lena leans back Kara is breathless. She doesn't remember when she wrapped her arms around Lena's waist but: there they are, and she's suddenly _very_ aware that Lena's whole body is pressed against hers. "If you wanted, you could come upstairs for a cup of tea," Lena whispers. Her voice is something entirely new, low and heavy with desire and just the sound of it sets Kara on fire. 

"Um, yeah. Sure," Kara says, trying to disentangle herself from Lena as gracefully as possible. "I'd like that." 

They manage to stay apart while they wait for Lena's elevator, and while the doors close behind them. They have the elevator car all to themselves, and as soon as the doors slide shut Lena takes her by the lapel and they kiss all the way to her floor. 

They kiss again while Lena tries to find her keys, and when they get to her apartment, Lena unbuttons her coat and slides it off her shoulders and Kara hasn't felt this much desire in _ages._ Under her coat, Lena's wearing a skirt with one of her silk tanks, the kind that show off her arms and shoulders, and Kara is just struck by how nice it would be to kiss the bare skin of her shoulder blade, to run her tongue across Lena's nape. 

She takes a few steps forward, shedding her mittens, her scarf, and wraps herself around Lena from the back. Lena sighs, leans into her and wraps her hands around Kara's crossed at her waist, holding her closer. Kara presses one long, slow kiss to the bare skin of Lena's shoulder, inhales to memorize the smell of this, the taste of it. "Can I tell you something?" Kara whispers against her skin. 

Lena nods, yes. 

"I don't think I want a cup of tea after all." 

Lena laughs and turns in Kara's arms to face her. "You know," she says. "I think I feel the same."


End file.
